U.S. OPEN

September 10, 1993

Steffi Graf

STEFFI GRAF: I mean, I don't know if it was anger, but I was just kind of frustrated. It was really difficult for me to adjust in the first couple of games with the wind, I mean, I was out there to practice in the morning and there definitely wasn't any kind of wind. Couldn't get going-- moving slow, and specially in the wind, that's one of the important things you have to do is try to keep moving, stepping in, and I didn't do any of it. But-- and she won the really important game 4-3, which kind of helped me to get back, because at least a few good points, made a lot of easy mistakes, so I wasn't happy.

STEFFI GRAF: Not yet, but maybe I will in a couple of years. Today she had a good chance, because I wasn't playing very well. She had a good chance to even win today. She was trying to play very well.

STEFFI GRAF: Kept the ball in play and important was first break in the second set and she made a few unforced errors and I kind of told myself, okay -- let's try to keep the ball in play and at least make her work for the win or for every point.

STEFFI GRAF: I mean, I stood on the court not thinking about how many times I played somebody before and how it was, but I was surprised, I was really tight in the beginning and I was-- you know, I was not kind of ready for the match. That was it.

STEFFI GRAF: I did think that's the way I played the first set. I mean, that's not my usual game. That's not me and I had-- I have to sometimes remind myself who I am and I was thinking about that and I started playing better after that.

STEFFI GRAF: About who I am and how I can play tennis. I just thought about that for a minute.

STEFFI GRAF: What kind of conditions?

STEFFI GRAF: I mean, this is for everybody to say, if top players and for the lessor-ranked people, everybody has to deal with it and it's just a matter of how you can focus on what you're doing. I mean, I haven't had any problems, you expect-- I've been here more than ten years and I know the place, so, I mean, it's nothing that's new to me.

STEFFI GRAF: The same as she's been doing the other matches, trying to change the rhythm, come in a lot, her strength, her first serve is very good, I expect a match she's going to try to not give me any rhythm at all, mix it up, play high, short, come in, slow, fast.

STEFFI GRAF: Definitely, my passing shot has to be in good shape, but I don't think I've been really passing too bad lately. I mean, I improved that shot lately. It's going to be a difficult game, but I'm looking forward to it.

STEFFI GRAF: Well, we play every tournament the same, I mean, I expect-- except Grand Slams, so I'm very used to it. I mean, maybe it is not appropriate for a Grand Slam tournament, but of course, we used to do it in every tournament. It is not a big deal.